Iudicum 21
1 Iuraverunt quoque filii Israel in Maspha et dixerunt: Nullus nostrum dabit filiis Beniamin de filiabus suis uxorem.
Now the men of Israel had sworn in Mizpah, saying, Not any of us shall give his daughter unto Benjamin for wife.
2 Veneruntque omnes ad domum Dei in Silo, et in conspectu eius sedentes usque ad vesperam, levaverunt vocem, et magno ululatu coeperunt flere, dicentes:
And the people came to Beth-el, and abode there till the evening, before God, and they lifted up their voices, and wept with a great lamentation;
3 Quare Domine Deus Israel factum est hoc malum in populo tuo, ut hodie una tribus auferretur ex nobis?
And they said, Wherefore, O Lord, God of Israel, is this come to pass in Israel, that there should be lacking this day out of Israel one tribe?
4 Altera autem die diluculo consurgentes, extruxerunt altare: obtuleruntque ibi holocausta, et pacificas victimas, et dixerunt:
And it came to pass on the morrow, that the people rose early, and built there an altar, and offered burnt-offerings and peace-offerings.
5 Quis non ascendit in exercitu Domini de universis tribubus Israel? Grandi enim iuramento se constrinxerant, cum essent in Maspha, interfici eos qui defuissent.
And the children of Israel said, Who is there among all the tribes of Israel that came not up with the congregation unto the Lord? For there had been taken the great oath concerning him that came not up to the Lord to Mizpah, saying, He shall surely be put to death.
6 Ductique poenitentia filii Israel super fratre suo Beniamin, coeperunt dicere: Ablata est tribus una de Israel,
And the children of Israel felt regret for Benjamin their brother, and they said, One tribe hath this day been cut down from Israel.
7 unde uxores accipient? omnes enim in commune iuravimus, non daturos nos his filias nostras.
What shall we do as respecteth wives for those that remain, since we have sworn by the Lord that we will give none of our daughters unto them for wives?
8 Idcirco dixerunt: Quis est de universis tribubus Israel, qui non ascendit ad Dominum in Maspha? Et ecce inventi sunt habitatores Iabes Galaad in illo exercitu non fuisse.
And they said, what one is there of the tribes of Israel that came not up unto the Lord to Mizpah? And, behold, there had not come to the camp a man from Yabesh-gil'ad to the assembly.
9 (Eo quoque tempore cum essent in Silo, nullus ex eis ibi repertus est.)
For the people were numbered, and, behold, there was not present a man of the inhabitants of Yabesh-gil'ad.
10 Miserunt itaque decem millia viros robustissimos, et praeceperunt eis: Ite, et percutite habitatores Iabes Galaad in ore gladii, tam uxores quam parvulos eorum.
And the congregation sent thither twelve thousand persons of the valiant men, and commanded them, saying, Go and smite the inhabitants of Yabesh-gil'ad with the edge of the sword, with the women and the children.
11 Et hoc erit quod observare debebitis: Omne generis masculini, et mulieres, quae cognoverunt viros, interficite, virgines autem reservate.
And this is the thing that ye shall do, every male, and every woman that hath known [man] by lying with him, shall ye devote.
12 Inventaeque sunt de Iabes Galaad quadringentae virgines, quae nescierunt viri thorum, et adduxerunt eas ad castra in Silo, in Terram Chanaan.
And they found among the inhabitants of Yabesh-gil'ad four hundred young virgins that had not known man by lying with any male: and they brought them unto the camp to Shiloh, which is in the land of Canaan.
13 Miseruntque nuncios ad filios Beniamin, qui erant in Petra Remmon, et praeceperunt eis, ut eas susciperent in pace.
And the whole congregation sent and spoke to the children of Benjamin that were on the rock Rimmon, and offered them peace.
14 Veneruntque filii Beniamin in illo tempore, et datae sunt eis uxores de filiabus Iabes Galaad: alias autem non repererunt, quas simili modo traderent.
And Benjamin returned at that time: and they gave unto them the wives whom they had saved alive out of the women of Yabesh-gil'ad; but they found not sufficient for them in this way.
15 Universusque Israel valde doluit, et egit poenitentiam super interfectione unius tribus ex Israel.
And the people felt regret for Benjamin; because that the Lord had made a breach in the tribes of Israel.
16 Dixeruntque maiores natu: Quid faciemus reliquis, qui non acceperunt uxores? omnes in Beniamin feminae conciderunt,
And the elders of the congregation said, What shall we do for those that remain as respecteth wives; because the women have been destroyed out of Benjamin?
17 et magna nobis cura, ingentique studio providendum est, ne una tribus deleatur ex Israel.
And they said, Their inheritance must be secured for Benjamin, that not a tribe may be blotted out from Israel.
18 Filias enim nostras eis dare non possumus, constricti iuramento et maledictione, qua diximus: Maledictus qui dederit de filiabus suis uxorem Beniamin.
Nevertheless we ourselves are not able to give them wives of our daughters; for the children of Israel have sworn, saying, Cursed be he that giveth a wife to Benjamin.
19 Ceperuntque consilium, atque dixerunt: Ecce sollemnitas Domini est in Silo anniversaria, quae sita est ad Septentrionem urbis Bethel, et ad Orientalem plagam viae, quae de Bethel tendit ad Sichimam, et ad Meridiem oppidi Lebona.
And they said, Behold, there is a feast of the Lord in Shiloh from year to year [at a place] which is on the north side of Beth-el, on the east side of the highway that goeth up from Beth-el to Shechem, and on the south of Lebonah.
20 Praeceperuntque filiis Beniamin, atque dixerunt: Ite, ad latitate in vineis.
And they commanded the children of Benjamin, saying, Go ye and lie in wait in the vineyards;
21 Cumque videritis filias Silo ad ducendos choros ex more procedere, exite repente de vineis, et rapite ex eis singuli uxores singulas, et pergite in Terram Beniamin.
And look out, and, behold, if the daughters of Shiloh go out to dance in dances: then come ye forth out of the vineyards, and snatch you every man his wife from the daughters of Shiloh, and go then to the land of Benjamin.
22 Cumque venerint patres earum, ac fratres, et adversum vos queri coeperint, atque iurgari, dicemus eis: Miseremini eorum: non enim rapuerunt eas iure bellantium atque victorum, sed rogantibus ut acciperent, non dedistis, et a vestra parte peccatum est.
And it shall be, when their fathers or their brothers come to contend with us, that we will say unto them, Be favorable unto them for our sakes; because we took not for each man his wife in the war; [and] because ye yourselves did not give them unto them, that ye should at this time be guilty.
23 Feceruntque filii Beniamin, ut sibi fuerat imperatum: et iuxta numerum suum rapuerunt sibi de his, quae ducebant choros, uxores singulas: abieruntque in possessionem suam aedificantes urbes, et habitantes in eis.
And the children of Benjamin did so, and took themselves wives, according to their number, from the dancers whom they had stolen away; and they went and returned unto their inheritance, and rebuilt the cities, and dwelt in them.
24 Filii quoque Israel reversi sunt per tribus, et familias in tabernacula sua.
And the children of Israel departed thence at that time, every man to his tribe and to his family, and they went out from there every man to his inheritance.
25 In diebus illis nec erat rex in Israel: sed unusquisque quod sibi rectum videbatur, hoc faciebat.
In those days there was no king in Israel: every man did what was right in his own eyes.
